The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has expressed worry over the refusal of some Nigerians to help with contact tracing and going into isolation after testing positive.
Mr Boss Mustapha, Chairman, PTF on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) expressed the displeasure on Thursday, at its daily news conference in Abuja.
According to him, we have received reports about citizens refusing to help with contact tracing as well as going into isolation after testing positive.
He said it was in the interest of everybody that contacts were traced so as to slow down the spread, adding that it was also in their interests to go into isolation facilities for close monitoring.
Mustapha said that a number of fatalities had been recorded due to changes in the condition of patients while staying outside the isolation facilities.
“Our appeal is that if agents of the state get in touch with you regarding testing, contact tracing activities, please cooperate,” he said
Mustapha said that it was necessary that such people should be prepared to be quarantined to monitor their health for onset of symptoms.
He stressed that it was important for the country to break the chain of transmission and prevent further spread of COVID-19 in the country.
“Earlier in the week we raised the red flag and enumerated our efforts to cut down the rate of infection among medical workers,” he said.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is stepping up training on infection, prevention and control to slow this emerging situation.
” We need our health workers to be healthy and available and as always, we remain very proud of you all,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced on Thursday that it recorded 350 fresh confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number in the country to 11,516.
According to its official Twitter handle, all new cases, as at June 4, 2020, Nigeria has 350 new confirmed cases with eight deaths.
NCDC stated that the new cases were reported from 20 States: Lagos (102), Ogun (34), FCT (29), Borno (26), Kaduna (23), Rivers (21), Kwara (16), Ebonyi (17), Katsina (14), Edo (10), Delta (10), Kano (10), Bauchi (10), Bayelsa (9), Imo (8), Plateau (4), Ondo (3), Nasarawa (2), Gombe (1) and Oyo (1).
No new state had reported a case in the last 24 hours.
The NCDC said that till date, 11,516 cases have been confirmed, out of which 7,658 are active cases; 3,535 cases have been treated and discharged, and 323 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The agency called on Nigerians to observe the procedures for quarantine, avoid public places and ensure public hygiene.
“We cannot solve problems of over 60 years in six weeks.
“As we work hard to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection to health care workers on the frontlines, we need a fundamental change in our approach to infection, prevention and control in Nigerian hospitals,“ it stated.
